Horizontal frost heave thrust acting on buttress constructions

Frost heave thrust of soil varies with its water content. When the water content of the soil is less than its plastic limit, the horizontal frost heave thrust of soil does not appear. When the water content of the soil is greater than its plastic limit the frost heave thrust increases with increasing water content and when the water content is a little over its liquid limit, it reaches a maximum value.

Also, the horizontal frost heave thrust of soil varies with temperature. It increases as the negative temperature falls, until it reaches a maximum value at about ?7°C.

It should be noted that the distribution of the horizontal frost heave thrust along the lateral surface of the structure is not always uniform: its value is greatest at the middle, less at the bottom, and least at the top. The maximum value generally appears at the place where the depth is about 60–80% of the depth of frost penetration.

According to laboratory data and engineering practice, the values of horizontal frost heave thrust vary greatly, but its maximum value is generally about 4.1–4.2 kg/cm².